Where is American Literature? offers a spirited and compelling argument for rethinking the way we view American literature in relation to the nation while powerfully demonstrating why it continues to matter in a global age.

•  A refreshing and accessible investigation into the various locations - linguistic, geographical, virtual, ideological - where American writing is produced and consumed
•  Takes a highly original approach by viewing US literature spatially rather than chronologically or thematically, retuning our understanding of the subject
• The book offers a vital intervention in current debates over the impact of digital technologies on the production and reception of literature, ensuring that the field remains lively and dynamic
• Invites readers to reconsider the subject by questioning current perspectives on, and approaches to, US literature, offering a range of fresh perspectives on familiar texts and topics

Caroline F. Levander is the Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives, Carlson Professor in the Humanities, and Professor of English at Rice University. Levander is author of, amongst others, Voices of the Nation: Women and Public Speech in Nineteenth-Century American Culture and Literature (Cambridge University Press, 1998, paperback reprint 2009), and Cradle of Liberty: Race, the Child and National Belonging from Thomas Jefferson to W.E.B. Du Bois (Duke University Press, 2006).

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction: Discovering American Literature 1

PART I Places 33

In the Eye of the Beholder 35

On the Edge 63

PART II Environments 89

In the Cloud 91

In the House 114

PART III Communities 135

At the Club 137

Under Enemy Fire 157

Conclusion: Home As Found 182

Suggested Further Reading 190

Index 199